Largest PFAS Facility
Tetra Tech Selected to Design Nation's Largest PFAS Water Treatment Facility for Dayton, Ohio
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Tetra Tech has been chosen to design what will be the largest dedicated facility in the United States built solely to remove PFAS chemicals from drinking water. The project, located in Dayton, Ohio, carries a projected construction cost of $350 million, according to The Sudbury Star.
PFAS — short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are man-made chemicals linked to serious health problems. They are sometimes called "forever chemicals" because they do not break down easily in the environment or the human body. The new facility will treat water from the Mad River Well Field, which feeds Dayton's 70-year-old Ottawa Water Treatment Plant.
Dayton's Water Supply Has a Serious PFAS Problem
The Mad River Well Field has been dealing with legacy PFAS contamination for years. This well field is a key source of drinking water for the City of Dayton. Contamination in the area reflects a broader national crisis, as PFAS chemicals have been found in water systems across the country, often near military bases and industrial sites.
The Ottawa Water Treatment Plant, which relies on this well field, is now 70 years old. City officials say a modern, purpose-built PFAS treatment facility is needed to protect residents for generations to come, according to Daily Herald Tribune.
Tetra Tech Wins Single-Award Contract for the Design
The City of Dayton's Department of Water awarded Tetra Tech a single-award contract. That means one firm handles the full design work — no competing bids split across multiple companies. Tetra Tech is a well-known engineering and consulting firm that focuses on water, environment, and infrastructure projects.
Tetra Tech's team will include engineers, scientists, and technical specialists. Their job is to design advanced treatment solutions that can handle the scale and complexity of the contamination, according to The Crag and Canyon.
A $350 Million Bet on Clean Water Infrastructure
At $350 million in projected construction costs, this project is a major public investment. It is the largest facility of its kind in the country dedicated entirely to removing PFAS from water. Most treatment plants handle PFAS as one part of a broader system — this one is built around the problem from the ground up.
The scale reflects how serious PFAS contamination has become as a public health issue. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set strict new limits on PFAS in drinking water in 2024, putting pressure on cities to act fast and invest heavily in treatment upgrades.
Project Aims to Secure Regional Water Supply for Generations
City officials say the goal goes beyond fixing a current problem. The facility is designed to provide a safe, reliable, and renewable water supply for the entire region long into the future. Dayton's water system serves a large population across the metro area, making the stakes especially high.
Once the design phase is complete, construction is expected to move forward on the $350 million build. The project signals a growing trend of U.S. cities committing major funding to dedicated PFAS infrastructure rather than relying on older, partial treatment methods, according to Ontario Farmer.
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